Is Your Website Suitable For Mobile Devices?

Responsive video player adjusts to any size.

I’m going to open this post with a series of simple questions.

On what device are you reading this, right now?

If you’re reading it on a mobile device like a tablet or a smartphone, has the website changed to fit the screen? Of course, I know that it has. It’s a responsive website, which means it automatically adjusts its layout to suit whatever screen it is being displayed on.

Now, think about your own website. How old is it? More importantly, in its current state, does it predate tablets and smartphones? If it does, then it may not be responsive. It may be time for a refurbishment.

As the number of people browsing the web on mobile devices continues to grow, so has the importance of having a responsive website. In truth, it has reached the point where it is now expected. Crucially for businesses though, people are not only browsing on their tablets and smartphones. They are also buying. Having a responsive website is now pretty much a requirement for any kind of retail business site.

Maps shrink to fit tablet/mobile layouts

Halfslide Design recently helped Birds Barbershop, a local business here in Austin, to bring their website up to date, giving it a responsive design that fits any screen without harming the user experience. From the photo sliders to single pictures, forms and tables, everything adjusts seamlessly.

Customers today want information instantly, wherever they are. With a responsive mobile site they can find your company, check your prices, and if you have a physical shop, even see where you are on the map.

All content designed to fit within vertical scroll area.

The improvements made don’t solely benefit the user though. Before we took on this project, Birds Barbershop had a standalone mobile site that needed to be maintained separately to the main one. The obvious downside to this is the duplication of work, adding of content, and maintenance. As the new site uses a single code base that will work on any browser, a lot of time and effort behind the scenes is saved for the client in the long run.

Since the inception of mobile web browsing over a decade ago, the landscape has changed on more than one occasion, and it is a site owner’s duty to keep up. While many websites still have the option to choose between Mobile Version and Full Version, seamless responsiveness is one of the major aspects of mobile web design today. Your customers expect it. So much so that when it’s implemented well, they don’t even notice it. Without it though, they will likely go somewhere else.

If you have a website that is in need of some renovation to bring it up to current mobile standards, as Birds Barbershop did, Halfslide Design can help. You can open a conversation with us at info@halfslide.com where we can discuss exactly your needs.